Bookmark

Najib gave a statement in a probe into a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal linked to debt-ridden state development fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Advertisement

Advertisement

The embattled former leader has been ordered by the MACC to explain a suspicious transfer of RM42 million (US$10.6 million) into his bank account.

The sum is just a fraction of billions of dollars allegedly siphoned from state fund 1MDB, a scandal that dogged the last three years of Najib's near-decade-long rule and was one of the main reasons his ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lost in the May 9 election.

Hours before his arrival at MACC, two of his lawyers, Harpal Singh Grewal and M Athimulan, withdrew themselves from representing him. Harpal said they withdrew after Najib’s decision to engage former solicitor-general Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden and six other lawyers.

Upon leaving the commission's headquarters after giving his statement, Najib told reporters he would return for further questioning on Thursday.

"I gave a statement in 2015 over SRC and the statement today which I have given is a continuation of that - I have given more details today," he said.

He said he gave statements from 10am to 2.15pm, with a 30-minute break in between.

"I'd like to thank the people who took my statement," he added. "They did it professionally."

Before his departure, ex-PM Najib tells media he has to return to MACC on May 24 for more questioning about his involvement in alleged corruption linked to 1MDB and SRC International pic.twitter.com/yRTY7fY5a3

According to the audit report on 1MDB, declassified last week by the Auditor-General, an estimated RM42.26 billion (US$10.6 billion) is required to settle its loans and interest between November 2015 and May 2039.

The 1MDB scandal, one of the biggest in Malaysian history, first captured global attention three years ago.

Malaysia's new leader, Mahathir Mohamad, who at the age of 92 came out of political retirement and joined the opposition to topple his former protege, has reopened investigations into 1MDB and has vowed to recover money that disappeared from the fund.

The task force, made up of members of the anti-graft agency, police and the central bank, will liaise with enforcement agencies in the United States, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada and other related countries.

Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing since the 1MDB scandal erupted in 2015, but he replaced an attorney-general and several MACC officers to shut down an initial investigation.

Najib has said US$681 million of funds deposited in his personal bank account were a donation from a Saudi royal, rebutting reports that the funds came from 1MDB.

Scandal-tainted former Malaysian leader Najib Razak arrived on May 22, 2018 at the anti-corruption agency to give a statement over a massive financial scandal that helped to bring down his long-ruling regime in historic elections. (Photo: AFP/Manan Vatsyayana)

The initial focus of the MACC's new probe is on how RM42 million went from SRC International to Najib's account.

SRC was created in 2011 by Najib's government to pursue overseas investments in energy resources, and was a unit of 1MDB until it was moved to the finance ministry in 2012.

MACC has been able to track the money trail from SRC more easily because transactions were made through Malaysian entities, whereas most other transfers of 1MDB funds went through foreign banks and companies.

The US Department of Justice said on Tuesday it would continue to pursue investigations into 1MDB and looked forward to working with Malaysian law enforcement authorities.

"The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that the United States and its financial system are not threatened by corrupt individuals and kleptocrats who seek to hide their ill-gotten wealth," a spokesperson said in an email statement to Reuters.

"Whenever possible, recovered assets will be used to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office," the statement added.

The US filed forfeiture complaints in 2016 and 2017 seeking to recover over US$1.7 billion in assets traceable to funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

Tagged Topics

Share this content

Bookmark

More stories for you

Get the CNA newsletter in your inbox

Invalid email address

It looks like the email address you entered is not valid.

I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively "Mediacorp") to send me marketing and advertising materials in relation to goods and services of Mediacorp and its business partners and for research and analysis

About Us

Advertise with us

Get the news that matters in your inbox every morning!

Please enter your email address

I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively "Mediacorp") to send me marketing and advertising materials in relation to goods and services of Mediacorp and its business partners and for research and analysis